“Nicco, it’s no sin. I know a few men who wouldn’t trade their single status for anything. Their freedom is much too important.
“Perhaps what you ought to do after I go back to my life in California is hook up with some of your buddies and take your girlfriends to the palace for dinner or some such thing.
“Let your parents see that you enjoy women, but after being married to a foreigner of all things, you’ve decided you never want to be tied down again. In time they’ll realize you really are happiest when you’re on your own and—”
He muttered something in undecipherable Italian that brought her up short before he pushed himself away from the table. “When you can pause long enough to finish your breakfast, we’ll go.”
In a few swift strides he left the kitchen. Valentino made a whimpering noise and padded after him.
“Hey—don’t be so upset. I was only trying to help you feel better.”
Callie dashed into the living room after him, but he wasn’t there. She made a detour to his bedroom where she found him tossing some clothes into a duffel bag.
“If I said something to anger you, I apologize. In truth, I’ve been skirting around the real reason why I think you’re down on marriage.”
He paused for a moment. “And what would that be?”
“It’s none of my business, of course, but I have this feeling you’ve been hurt by a woman. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine with me. But if you do, I’m here.
“A lot of my patients’ owners tell me I’m a good listener when there’s a problem they need to talk over. Technically speaking, Valentino’s my patient, so if you have the urge…”
“I have several,” he confessed silkily, “but now is not the time to indulge them. Stay, Valentino,” he admonished his dog. “We’ll be back soon.”
Nicco lifted his head unexpectedly. Their eyes met. “After you, Signora Tescotti.”
Ooh. He really was upset to call her by her married name.
When they reached the foyer she looked for her helmet, but it wasn’t on the side table.
“Don’t worry.” Nicco read her mind with ease. “I put our gear out in the back of the truck.”
Callie nodded and walked out to the carport ahead of him. There in his parking space stood the old blue truck she’d seen once before. Apparently Nicco had ridden to Monferrato last night to bring it here. She’d wondered how they were going to transport the dog to the stable.
He threw his duffel bag in the back, then opened the passenger door for her. Once they were both strapped in, he took off.
Though it was a far cry from his bike, he drove it with the same speed and expertise. How he managed to park it in a tiny space along a major street without damaging fenders was anyone’s guess. She simply closed her eyes and waited for the screech.
It never came. Instead it was her heart that skidded all over the place when he opened her door to help her out of the truck. Thinking she would get down by herself, she made a move forward, but it only caused their bodies to collide. His strong hands encircled her hips.
The contact whipped up a forest fire inside her.
Too limp from excitement, she literally slid down his hard-muscled frame until she felt her feet touch the sidewalk. A little moan of unassuaged desire escaped her lips. Fearing he’d heard it, she wheeled away from him so he couldn’t look into her eyes and read the secrets there.
To her chagrin, her cheeks went hot as flame. Without waiting for Nicco, she entered the department store ahead of him and marched straight toward the casual wear she could see on her left.
He’d told her it was a moderately priced store where she’d be able to buy everything she needed. Callie didn’t require a lot. Just a couple of pairs of jeans, tops, several changes of underwear and nightwear.
Nicco caught up to her and followed her around. He translated prices for her into English and generally drove her crazy by just being near her. While various sales-women and female shoppers stared at him and did literally everything they could to get him to look at them, she tried to concentrate on making her purchases.
It was an impossible task because she couldn’t help casting him covert glances to see if he was responding to all the attention he was receiving since they’d entered the store.
More than once he caught her staring at him. It was humiliating. She turned away, pretending she hadn’t noticed him. At one point he suggested she buy a pair of tan leather sandals which he thought would make a nice change from her sneakers.
Other than that, their shopping spree turned out to be a rather silent affair. Disastrous even, because ever since he’d helped her down from the cab of the truck, she’d felt tension building between them. It sent her pulse racing off the charts.
Unable to take any more, she decided she’d bought enough things and headed out of the store with her purchases. If he touched her again to help her get in the truck, she’d melt like butter and he’d be in no doubt of his power over her. She’d do anything to avoid that situation.
Oddly enough, she ended up sitting there for ten minutes while she waited for him to come. When he showed up, he had some more packages. They were probably items he needed.
After stashing them on the seat next to her, he started up the engine and they returned to the apartment.
His head swerved in her direction. “Stay here. I’ll bring Valentino.”
She watched him put all their packages in the back of the truck before he disappeared inside the building. Within a couple of minutes, the two of them emerged.
When Nicco opened the door of the cab, Valentino climbed in and sat between them, alert to everything going on.
“Your dog doesn’t know he’s not a person.”
Her comment produced the first smile she’d seen all day. When Nicco’s sensual mouth curved up like that, she felt like the sun had just come up over the horizon.
“Are we going to the same estate where we were married?”
“No. The stables are located on a piece of property bordering the Po where Enzo and Maria will live now that he’s prince. My brother’s an accomplished rider. So is his wife.”
“Do you ride, too?”
“Before I left the palace, I enjoyed it on occasion.”
“Anyone who owns a bike like yours probably enjoyed a lot of other things once upon a time.”
Again she glimpsed his white smile. “You understand what few women do.”
“More women would if they learned to ride on a Danelli to begin with. The bike is perfect for my work. When I go out to the farms to see a sick animal, I strap on my medical satchel and zoom around like a torpedo. There’s no other sensation like it. I can go anywhere, even into the fields.”
“Rocket science at its most creative.”
Callie laughed. “I’m sure the people who know me think I make a queer sight. Ann calls me the mad vet. With my helmet, little children sometimes ask me if I’m from outer space.”
Nicco’s chuckle warmed her heart as he drove the three of them to an idyllic, heavily wooded area off limits to the public. Half a mile past the guarded gate of another Tescotti palatial estate she glimpsed a riding path through the trees.
Once all this had been Nicco’s playground and would have been his for the taking. But for him it came at too high a price. Like some animals, Nicco was meant to be free.
She’d spent enough time with him to realize he was his own man in every way. That’s what went to make him the most attractive male she’d ever met. Her heart ached with love for him, for everything he’d been through and suffered in order to arrive at the place where he was today.
Without conscious thought she put her arm around his dog and hugged him close to her.
“Valentino—I know you don’t have any idea what’s about to happen to you. But I promise that when you’ve recovered, you’re going to feel a lot better.”
“So will I,” Nicco murmured, sounding immersed in thought.
The road conti
nued to wind around until she saw what looked like an eighteenth-century hunting lodge. She said as much to Nicco.
“That’s because it is. My grandfather had a portion of the interior converted into a small hospital with the stable at the rear. However he insisted that the exterior retain the integrity of the original structures on the property.”
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “Like going back in time.”
Except for one man on horseback, she saw no other sign of activity. Not waiting for Nicco, she jumped down from the cab and looked up at the giant trees which had probably been here for centuries. They dwarfed everything.
“Nicco!” a male voice called out. Callie saw an older man with salt-and-pepper hair wave to them from the massive front door which stood open. He broke into a spate of Italian.
Her companion answered back before sending her a private glance. “That’s Dr. Donatti. He and his wife Bianca live in the upstairs apartment. Father asked him to assist you.”
She nodded, realizing this was a delicate situation that needed special handling. Valentino must have picked up the smell of the hospital on the vet because he hung back against Callie’s legs and had to be ordered to accompany Nicco before he would walk inside the lodge.
“I know just how he feels,” she whispered to Nicco. “It’s the same sinking feeling I get when the dentist tells me to come in because he’s ready for me.”
Nicco squeezed the back of her neck in response before ushering her inside beneath a vaulted foyer. Her body was still quivering from the sensation as she looked around and saw that one side of the lodge opened up into a large sitting room. It was filled with period furniture, tapestries on the walls and an enormous fireplace.
The other side turned out to be a dining hall with a huge table, hunt board and elaborate chandelier. A couple of her married friends would kill to find authentic hand-carved furniture like this in the States.
“Dr. Donatti, this is my wife, Callie.”
“What a pleasure this is for me, signora. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you.”
The elderly vet shook her hand and smiled, but she was cognizant of his speculative gaze. Callie felt distinctly uncomfortable invading his turf.
Being with Nicco made it so much worse because though he’d given up his title years ago, he was probably still considered the rightful prince by everyone on the estate. Dr. Donatti had no choice but to be gracious to what he undoubtedly considered the black sheep of the Tescotti family.
“We don’t want to keep you from your work any longer than we have to. If you would be kind enough to show Callie the operating room.”
“Of course. Come this way. My wife is anxious to meet you. She’ll be back from town shortly.”
Callie followed the vet through the doorway at the end of the foyer. Beyond it she entered the kind of territory familiar to her. From an anteroom he led her directly to the surgery. It wasn’t that different from Dr. Wood’s inner sanctum.
While she discussed what she intended to do, Nicco entered the operating room with a very frightened, unhappy dog. She left the doctor’s side to greet Valentino.
“Come on, boy,” she urged as his master had to pick him up and order him to lie still on the table. “I’m not going to hurt you. Dr. Donatti? If you’ll please tranquilize him, we’ll get started.”
Once the dog had been given a shot, she took an X ray, then went over it with the other vet who nodded when she pointed out the problem.
“It’s just as I thought, Nicco. Valentino has an overly long soft palate that interferes with his larynx. I’ll take some tucks and that should do it.” Of course it was more complicated than that, but all that mattered was to get the procedure over and done with as quickly as possible.
The three of them donned gowns and masks. “If you’ll administer the anesthetic, we can begin, Dr. Donatti.”
Callie felt Nicco’s eyes on her as she scrubbed at the sink. Her heart skipped a beat out of fear. She knew how crazy he was about his dog.
Please, God. Let Valentino be all right. Please.
“Everything’s ready,” Dr. Donatti murmured.
She lifted her hands to put on sterile gloves, then turned to her precious patient and began the operation.
Like Dr. Wood, Dr. Donatti made an exceptional assistant, anticipating every need. For Nicco’s benefit Callie explained everything she was doing.
The procedure didn’t take long. After she’d finished up, she glanced at Nicco who was standing at the end of the table. She couldn’t be sure but she thought he looked a trifle pale. Unsteady even.
Who would have believed Nicco Tescotti of all men had an Achilles’ heel?
Moving swiftly, she caught hold of his arm and walked him over to a stool pushed against the wall. Once she’d forced him to sit, she untied his mask.
“Put your head down and breathe deeply.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
WHEN Callie returned to her other patient, Dr. Donatti had untied his mask. She undid the top strings of hers. They flashed each other conspiratorial smiles that bonded them at a deeper level.
Lifting her stethoscope, she listened to Valentino’s breathing. So far so good.
Dr. Donatti reached out to pat her arm. “Don’t worry. Niccolino’s dog is going to be fine. He was in expert hands.”
The fact that the vet had spoken her husband’s name like an endearment told her how much he cared for the elder Tescotti son. Dr. Donatti knew how frightened she was for Nicco’s sake. If anything happened to Valentino…
“It’s been an honor to work with you, Doctor. Thank you for your help,” she whispered, fighting tears.
“The honor was all mine.” He sounded as if he meant it. “I’m going to stay here with Valentino until he wakes up. Do you think you could take Nicco to the kitchen for something to revive him?”
He winked. “I was just going to suggest it. When he was a youngster, he always did have a tender spot for animals. He dragged everything in here from a rabbit with a torn ear, to a pheasant with a broken wing.
“With his face glistening wet, Nicco would beg me to fix them, then run outside because he couldn’t stand to watch. When Enzo came along, he was much the same way.”
“What are you two whispering about?” came a weak sounding male voice in the background.
“I was simply telling your wife what an excellent job she did. Now I’m thirsty and wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee. Come with me, Nicco. By the time we return, your dog will be awake.”
“Go on,” she urged Nicco. “I won’t leave his side.”
“I’ll be right back,” he vowed before following the doctor out of the surgery. Poor Nicco. She should have realized what a traumatic experience this would be for him. It would have been better if he’d stayed in the common rooms of the lodge until the operation was over.
True to Dr. Donatti’s prediction, after a little while Valentino began to stir. Overjoyed, Callie took his vital signs again. All was well.
Though the back of his throat would be sore for about two weeks, he was going to be fine. Better than fine.
Finally the dog’s eyes opened.
“Good afternoon, Valentino. I’m so happy to see you’re awake. Don’t be upset with your IV. I’ll take it out later. How’s my boy?” She smoothed her hand over his head. “You’ve been such a perfect patient. I love you.” She kissed the top of his head.
“Keep that up and he won’t be my dog anymore.”
Nicco’s voice sounded much stronger than before. The dog heard his master and lifted his head, then made a moaning sound.
Callie grinned. “There’s no chance of that happening. See how he looks at you?”
Nicco joined her and ran an affectionate hand down Valentino’s back. “Thanks to you, he just might live a year or two longer.”
In the next breath Nicco pulled her against him and planted a warm, firm kiss on her astonished mouth.
It felt so right and natural,
she found herself kissing him back.
Before she knew how it happened, her lips opened to the persuasive pressure of his. Relief over the happy results of the operation must have been the reason she went pliant in his arms and tried to get closer to him.
In the process, the tenor of their breathing changed. The jubilance they were feeling seemed to translate to passion as their kisses grew more feverish. One melted into another until she didn’t know the difference anymore. They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other.
“Nicco, darling?” a woman’s voice called out from the doorway. “Oh— Forgive me—”
Somehow Nicco managed to recover without problem. He put Callie at arm’s length with a calm she could only envy.
“It’s all right, Mother.” His gaze, which seemed to have been glowing like hot fires seconds earlier, left Callie’s and darted to the door. “Come in. I was just thanking my wife for performing such a successful operation on Valentino.”
Callie blushed to the roots of her ash-blond hair. To think she’d actually offered herself to him like that, and then to be well and truly caught by the one person who shouldn’t have been witness.
Though Callie understood why Nicco had gotten carried away, his mother would assume their honeymoon was still in full flower. She took a step backward so he would have to relinquish his hold on her.
“If you want to continue, we’ll leave and come back later, son.”
Now Callie understood from whom Nicco had inherited that mocking tone in his voice. His father had observed their prolonged embrace, too. Oh how she wished he hadn’t.
Needing to do something with her hands, she started to remove her hospital gown. To her horror, she realized she was wearing the exact same outfit she’d worn to the wedding.
Even though she’d bought some new outfits, she hadn’t bothered to change because she preferred operating in her old clothes. His parents didn’t know that of course, and would think she was the most bizarre person they’d ever met.
Feeling out of her depth, she reached for the stethoscope and took Valentino’s vital signs once more. While Nicco and his mother talked together, his father walked around the table and came to stand next to her.
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